Nature through the eyes of four artists

New Straits Times

25-05-2025

NATURE has always been an artist's muse — from the fluid lines of landscapes to the fleeting beauty of flowers in bloom. At AweGallery, Petaling Jaya, that timeless inspiration takes on new life through Rhythm of Nature, a curated art exhibition that brings together four distinct voices, united by friendship, creativity, and a deep love for the natural world.
The exhibition features the works of Jane Tan, Min Yin Thant, Wong Siew Lee and Felicia Yee — four artists connected through the Malaysia Art Society. While each of them has followed a unique artistic journey shaped by different backgrounds and personal experiences, Rhythm of Nature highlights the ways they each respond to nature's forms, rhythms and movements in their own way.
The title of the exhibition itself is a reflection of that shared yet personal connection. Inspired by the gentle, constant movement found in nature — the sway of leaves, the flight of birds, the shifting of light — Rhythm of Nature captures how much like life and art, nature is never static.
It changes, breathes and transforms over time. This curated showcase is a celebration of diversity, harmony and creativity, offering visitors an experience where different artistic voices respond to the same timeless muse.
Among the featured artists is Jane Tan, an Indonesian-born Malaysian painter whose work reflects a sensitivity towards both eastern and western aesthetics.
Tan's artistic journey has taken her to exhibitions across Asia, including the 9th Asian International Art Exhibition in Qingdao, China (2018), the Art Expo Bagan in Myanmar (2020), and a first-prize win in an international art competition organised by the China National Tourist Office.
For Rhythm of Nature, Tan presents a series of five paintings dedicated to her two favourite subjects: ducks and swans. Through these elegant birds, she expresses a profound love for nature, using her brushwork to capture both the grace and symbolism of these creatures within their natural surroundings.
Also exhibiting is Min Yin Thant, originally from Yangon, Myanmar, now residing in Malaysia. Thant was first introduced to the world of art at a young age by his father, a charcoal portrait artist. Many of his previous works are steeped in memories of traditional Myanmar, reflecting a nostalgic connection to his homeland.
This time, Thant takes his work in a new direction, offering what he describes as an imaginative expression of nature viewed through a contemporary lens. His artworks for Rhythm of Nature remain infused with nostalgia, yet they reach for a fresh interpretation of the serene, meaningful past as seen through nature's forms and textures.
Meanwhile, Malaysian visual artist Wong Siew Lee contributes a different perspective to the exhibition. Known for her abstract works inspired by Buddhist reflections on impermanence and transformation, Wong's journey into visual art came after an earlier career in quantity surveying. She later pursued a Master of Arts in Visual Arts from the University of Malaya in 2018.
For this exhibition, she presents Beyond the Veil of Horizon — a panoramic painting that unfolds from left to right in a lyrical flow of colour, light, and movement. The work invites viewers to experience nature's transitions, from misty dawns to radiant sunsets, capturing the in-between moments that blur the lines between the seen and unseen, the transient and the eternal.
Completing the quartet is Felicia Yee, an artist and educator who's been actively involved in art education since founding Ascend Art Studio in 2013. Yee's practice spans a wide range of mediums, from ink to mixed media, and she has exhibited her works in countries including Thailand, South Korea, and Singapore.
Recently, her focus has shifted towards appreciating the understated beauty of everyday life — still life compositions featuring tea, flowers, and birds. This contemplative approach forms the foundation of the works she's showcasing, offering a gentle reminder of nature's presence in the ordinary and familiar.
CELEBRATION OF NATURE
What makes Rhythm of Nature especially meaningful is the way the artists, though distinct in their styles and mediums, come together in shared celebration of the natural world. It's a conversation across canvases — some abstract, some representational, some nostalgic — all echoing the subtle movements and enduring spirit of nature.
Visitors to Rhythm of Nature can expect a thoughtfully curated collection of works that reflect not only the artists' technical skill, but also their individual ways of seeing and feeling the world around them.